Meet others who also had babies in (and around) January 2010! Ask advice, share tips or just meet friends to chat with!
minimize...
Meet others who also had babies in (and around) January 2010! Ask advice, share...
more...

Join your Birth Club!

Shift Work and Childcare

Just wondered if anyone on here does shift work?? I am not going back to work til Sept but my job involves shift work ( Police) and i am struggling to figure out what i can do regarding childcare?? Anyone got any experience of this or any suggestions.

I am thinking i might have to negioate set shifts which are the same every week but just wondered if there was any other option??

Comments for Post (10)

Hi, I'm a nurse and it obviously involves shift work too, but I had to change my job so my childcare would work, I now only work mon - fri 8am - 7pm

I work on my DH's 2 days off, and my mum has them one day and nursery once a week! The lack of shift work means less money but it was the only way I could work full-time? unless you have a very helpful flexible family and OH I see no way around it, my parents both still work full-time so they can't help lots.

Me too for the police you'd think they'd have them for us lol. Oh works shifts, mil doesn't work so between us and our mum's we're hoping to manage. No idea how, nursery doesn't seem possible my shift pattern is too erratic and changing. Maybe a childminder would be better? Sorry not much help lol x

Hi, Its very tricky when it comes to shift work. I am talking it through with a nursery at the moment to see if maybe I could give them my hours/days 4 to 6 weeks in advance. I know a lot of nurseries don't accept this. You could maybe try this? I do hear the police are very supportive and good with things like this, so maybe they would be happy to come to some arrangement which suits you. xx

I am self- employed so a similar situation in that I never know if I am going to be working or not! Could be away for a couple of days might get work near home so it is all change. OH works Mon-Fri 7.45am and often not home until 6:45pm

So far we have managed with childminder or him taking time off.

I am interested in the au pair idea? Irishmummy, have yu managed ot get an au pair that will look after young children? I didn't think they were supposed to? Also, I guess Tax credits go out the window with au pairs?

Nannies are just not affordable and we don't have an option of not working, both of us are self-employed so makes it a little challenging.

My husband works shifts while I work normal office hours M-F. I had to negotiate working one day a week from home when I went on maternity leave. So I have Fridays working from home. My husband has agreed with his job to have every Tuesday off which means Connor will be going into nursery three days a week as we do not have any family living less than 500 miles away. Our nursery won't accept shift work so we have to pay for those three days whether he goes or not.

Thanks for the replies, think i am going to request to do set hours each week and do 10 hour shifts so i can do less days and then put LO in nursery about 2 days a week. I think the police are pretty accomodating but just wondered if there was an alternative!

I am a nurse also, and i am goin back to work 1st of May!!!! I am doing 3 nights a week, but my husband works 24 hr shifts, so if hes at home then thats ok, if not the in laws will be having Maddison.

When she is about 1, i am going to put her in nursery on a Monday then i can always work a sunday night shift and sleep all day. I have found it hard to sort out, as nursery only taking set days! As some days it will be just my father in law with her, which i really dont like the idea of as mother in law still works.

I really want my shifts seperated so i would have to sleep all day then it wouldnt be so bad, but my work wouldnt do that so most of the time i am doing 3 nights in a row!!!!!!!!!!!

This site is published by BabyCenter, L.L.C., which is responsible for its contents as further described and qualified in terms of use

This internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult a doctor or other healthcare professional. Please review the terms of use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the terms of use.